The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-09
JOHN SMITH I. OF MISSOURI.
A COLONEL WHO WOULD HAyE BEEN
FAMOUS WITHOUT THE
Tho Lurid Career or nm idea, Southern Des-
perndo-After Countless Adventures He
Falls vietin OF Fever In Tennessee.

In all OF Missouri's early history there is,
perhaps, no man "Reminiscences OF whose career
are rs thoroughly lurid rs that Of Col. John
Smith T. Of Ste. Genevleve, who. after killing
fifteen mon In duels and brawls, was at last
permitted By an inscrutable providence to die
natural death In his bed. attended by faith
ful survivors.
In q recent lecture before the Missouri His
torical Society Gen. Firman A. Rozier. incl
dental to history Of early days in Ste. Gene
vieve gave a short sketch OF this remarkable
man. whom he designated as John Smith r.,
Judge and desperate Tho affx Of TT" was
from other John Smiths OF the day. and to
SSmmemorats the fact that he had lived In
sys Of b he
sstns e. ss Be- din
ff sm sss%s the e haRs
tan. siiaht Of build. wiry in, person, and mild
eept when aroused BY some real or fancied
insult Then HIS appearance was most fcro:
passion snd his ssss wo@a fy Sa
with wrathful fire. Col. Smith was dead shot,
II one eyer lived and always went armed to the
Of two large pistols swung to o belt about his
body. two smaller pistols carried in the outside
e 6 wcE h a lis
owned slave Whom lie called Dan, who Was
slaves only duty was the manufacture and re-
pair Of rifles, pistols. and shotguns for his mas
anS Sess "a tss to be
About the time of Aaron Burr's expedition
down the Mississippi River tn ere came to Ste.
who had been aide-de-camp to the Arcliduke
GasTes IN tine 6st Ratte Nth
III huH tn In anf
to Keen her from falling Into the hands Of Ma Ma,
p9leonLMaria Louise. who. a few years later.
and fond embraces Of Napoleon as his vile.
schrader was made Coroner, shortly after
taking up his residence In Missouri. = Col.
81 Common Pleas. something like the
County Court OF to-day, and Henry Dodge,
sh Of Ste Senesove s0 Districts smith Snd
Dodge were at the time sworn friends, although
they afterward became deadly enemies. They
clyded to Join the expedition. They purchased
fleet Of eanoes and vol supplied Win arms
e t. ioIn Burr At New Madrid they we're met
By President de-
sold their canoes, purchased horses, and rode
70 w ouas sSe a@n they
and had actually indicted both Of them for srea-
SOL. DOuRe al once burrenuereu nlmSol1,
siaue. he took on his coat " rolled up pf his
and actually whipped nine Of the
Smith lived out in tho country. The next day
he was lust about sitting down to dinner.
the nhG ne Smith
went to the door and called gu. to Schrader:
II know what you have come for; you have
It you are a dead man. It was a great out
rage TO arrest me. l am as good friend OF
n. .Yer United strsss e there sb.dr In this TER
ner, but mark, II you ATTEMPT to move finger
man" .schrader got OH and came. in. Smith
Ing pistol laid It beside plate and sat down
sn H as possible under the eircnmstances the
host plying his guest with the delicacies the
into town again. but Smith was not q prisoner.
nor was he ever arrested on that indictment.
The inhab i q Upper Louisiana ap.
Congress, says one authority. Others say he
elected himself. and such was the terror that
re- that "a me ds 81
delesate Dc that as i may. 10 twice visited
Washington and was accepted as the Terrific.
capital he considerably refrained from killing
any one. and even found 1t impossible to scrape
ass ws aay q ,h rs 3 ssn h
ing the results Of the Presidential suppression
class, looked upon Mexico as a field for ad-
venture and gain. and in ls4O entered that
country alone to rescue brother. who was
on that mission, endeavored to create reyo.
luton. In this he WAS not successful. In 1905
OF the Court OF General Quarter Sessions. This
body met at Ste. Genevieve. and Col. Smith
was member Of it up to the admission OF the
this judicial position. his primitive ideas Of the
rights OF property'underwent no change. and
sody Of sse nss e
Dubuque and Galena. reported then to be Of
fabulous richness. The mines Tsre In possos-
wiz a loss s 4 fully half Ills mon. g..
an old citizen nam named samasl Bail at the
tavern Of William Macarthur. they quarreIled,
a brave woman. heard the Shot, and
running into the room saw Ball lying dead on
the floor: She DENOUNCED the killing as cow
render his pistol. Producing the four weapons
which he always carried, he handed them to
with PSw Ike
Quilted before tho Circuit Court. Acquittal al
would have the temerity to convict him.
An INCIDENT Is told Of him that Is character
Nj had ha aSoat e err Iynpa
Claim. One day, while riding to Ste. Cen,
evieve. he overlook Samuel Perry on the road.
After q courteous saItation the Colonel re-
Idea OF having any difficulty with you, sir but
II must come sooner or later. The opportunity
presents itself now to settle our affairs as be-,
comes gentlemen. l have two friends here"
drawing pair OF pistols, and you are at lib-
erty to avail yourself OF the services of either"
Mr.. Perry replied: II would be happy to ,ac;;
commodate you. Colonel. but unfortunately
am on my way to Ste; Geneveye for the ppr-
pose of transa citing important business in
trusted TO me; AS man OF honor must dis,
,harge the obligation am under, and you will
appreciate my situation when say that can
not TO-DAY leopard those interests"
II think understand You. SIR" replied Col.
John, land must accept your explanation for
the present. l deeply regret, however, that
our business cannot BIO settled IL the rational
later they met on the field OF honor, and Perry
fell on the first fire with bullet In his brain.
Lionel Brown. a nephew OF Aaron Burr, lived
1t Potosi. In Washington county. For some
alleged remarks rejecting upon some OF the
lady members OF the Brown family Lionel
sent a challenge to Smith. Augustus Jones:
Texas, was Browns second. and Col McClana-
nan acted for Smith. The. parties went to
on the Mississippi River and